Hive Product Research Articles

An interdisciplinary approach evidenced the influence of human activities on honey in Northern Italy

Abstract Background Bees are important environmental indicators, revealing pollution through mortality or residues in honey and other hive products. We compared honey quality in a rural (Western Milan) and an industrial area (Northern Milan-Rho) in Lombardy (Italy). Methods In collaboration with the local Health and Environmental Protection Agencies, we collect and evaluate data regarding organic and inorganic residues in the honey samples from 2011 to 2022. Furthermore, we investigate the possible sources of air emissions through INEMAR database (INventario EMissioni ARia). Results Tetracyclines were detected in one case in the rural area, while Pb concentration was found above legal limits in several samples in the industrial area. INEMAR evidenced combustion in industry and road transport as the main sources of Pb emission in that area. It was also noticed Hg emissions in the rural area, clearly higher than in other territories. Conclusions The fraudulent use of antibiotics to eliminate pathogens, such as Paenibacillus larvae, responsible for American foulbrood, can be at the origin of their presence in the honey. Continuous monitoring of these compounds is critical since their environmental persistence can be very long lasting and a risk for human health. Heavy metals are harmful for human health and can have natural and mostly anthropic origins. The main sources are motor traffic, exhaust gases and fumes, as well as pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Pb contamination can derive from the location of the apiaries near roads with high vehicular traffic, but in some cases, from the paints used to waterproof hives. The unexpected high Hg emissions better address next monitoring on honey in the rural area where no in-depth Hg analysis has been carried out until now. This interdisciplinarity is a new approach and an essential tool to better understand the influence of anthropic activities and of air pollution on honey quality. Key messages • Comparison of chemical quality (organic and inorganic residues) in honey produced in rural and industrial areas in Lombardy (Northern Italy). • An interdisciplinary approach in honey quality assessment, considering estimated emission loads from anthropic activities in both areas.

Determination of total flavonoids, phenolics, and antioxidant activity of propolis from six stingless bee species in Kenya

AbstractBackgroundPropolis is one of the hive products made by bees from wax and plant resins, which makes it rich in phytochemicals such as flavonoids and phenolic. The chemical composition of propolis from stingless bees is affected by several factors including vegetation type and species. In Kenya, we have diverse landscape vegetation and over 12 stingless bee species. Lifestyle diseases are affecting more people due to unhealthy diets and exposure to harmful chemicals, which lead to oxidation in cells. This led to the production of super radicals, which cannot be neutralized only by the endogenous antioxidants in the body. This has led to increased demand for exogenous antioxidants obtained from the diet. Propolis is a known source of natural antioxidants too due to the presence of polyphenols.ResultsIn our study, we determined the total content of flavonoids, phenolic, and the antioxidant activity of propolis from six stingless bee species from Kenya. The total flavonoid content (TFC) in all species ranged from 651.90 to 3262.26 mg QE/100 g, while the total phenolic content (TPC) ranged from 586.36 to 2010.53 mg GAE/100 g. Among the species, Meliponula beccarii had the highest concentration of total flavonoids, Meliponula togoensis had high concentrations of total phenolic, while Meliponula ferruginea had the highest antioxidant activity.ConclusionThe outcome of this study demonstrates that propolis from Kenyan stingless bees have varying amounts of phytochemicals, which is dependent on the species identity. Hence it is a good source of exogenous natural antioxidants.

Accuracy vs. Energy: An Assessment of Bee Object Inference in Videos from On-Hive Video Loggers with YOLOv3, YOLOv4-Tiny, and YOLOv7-Tiny.

A continuing trend in precision apiculture is to use computer vision methods to quantify characteristics of bee traffic in managed colonies at the hive's entrance. Since traffic at the hive's entrance is a contributing factor to the hive's productivity and health, we assessed the potential of three open-source convolutional network models, YOLOv3, YOLOv4-tiny, and YOLOv7-tiny, to quantify omnidirectional traffic in videos from on-hive video loggers on regular, unmodified one- and two-super Langstroth hives and compared their accuracies, energy efficacies, and operational energy footprints. We trained and tested the models with a 70/30 split on a dataset of 23,173 flying bees manually labeled in 5819 images from 10 randomly selected videos and manually evaluated the trained models on 3600 images from 120 randomly selected videos from different apiaries, years, and queen races. We designed a new energy efficacy metric as a ratio of performance units per energy unit required to make a model operational in a continuous hive monitoring data pipeline. In terms of accuracy, YOLOv3 was first, YOLOv7-tiny-second, and YOLOv4-tiny-third. All models underestimated the true amount of traffic due to false negatives. YOLOv3 was the only model with no false positives, but had the lowest energy efficacy and highest operational energy footprint in a deployed hive monitoring data pipeline. YOLOv7-tiny had the highest energy efficacy and the lowest operational energy footprint in the same pipeline. Consequently, YOLOv7-tiny is a model worth considering for training on larger bee datasets if a primary objective is the discovery of non-invasive computer vision models of traffic quantification with higher energy efficacies and lower operational energy footprints.

Apiculture for Sustainable Land Use and Enhanced Community Livelihoods in Dryland Ecosystems: The Case of Makueni in Kenya

The scarcity of water in drylands is a major cause of crop failure, food insecurity, and consequent human ill-being. Relying on tilling and crop farming is therefore a risky investment and a direct threat to sustainable livelihoods. This calls for a shift in land use to practices that exert less pressure on land and water. Though apiculture is such a land-use practice, its adoption in the context of changing climate and increasing ecosystem vulnerability is still low. In pursuit of this dimension, the objectives of this research were: (i) to determine the extent to which apiculture is practised, (ii) to assess the challenges facing apiculture, and (iii) to assess measures required to scale-up apiculture among resource-poor farmers using Kathonzweni as a case study. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire survey that targeted 379 farmers. Additional data was obtained from secondary sources. Results showed that the majority of respondents (34.2%) relied on crop and animal production as their main sources of income, while 25.8% engaged in apiculture as an extra livelihood activity. Only 6.7% viewed apiculture as a source of food. As such, tilling the land rather than purchasing food using income from other sources remains the mindset in food security planning. Individual farmers harvested an average of 83.53 kg of honey/year and sold on average 60.67 kg/year. The income generated was an average of Kenyan Shillings 15,166.67 (USD 150) per year. Prolonged dry seasons, lack of community sensitisation, high cost of beehives, poor apiculture husbandry practices and difficulties in individually negotiating for better prices for their honey were the main limiting factors undermining this land use. Farmers were however aware of the huge market potential of hive products and the ecological suitability of the area for apiculture. Correlation analysis of quantities harvested, sold and income generated nationally revealed the existence of a very strong and significant positive relationship (r = 0.92; p=0.000). Therefore, investing in apiculture can alleviate household income limitations and the perennial food insecurity challenge in drylands while maintaining natural land cover and hence environmental resilience. Therefore, public-private synergistic partnerships based on a win-win business model are needed for increased adoption of apiculture in the context of changing climate.

Deep Learning-Based Portable Image Analysis System for Real-Time Detection of Vespa velutina

Honeybees pollinate over 75% of the total food resources produced annually, and they produce valuable hive products, such as bee pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. However, species such as the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) feed on more than 85% of honeybees, causing a decline in their population and considerable damage to beekeepers in Korea. To prevent damage to honeybees, a portable real-time monitoring system was developed that detects V. velutina individuals and notifies users of their presence. This system was designed with a focus on portability and ease of installation, as V. velutina can be found in various areas of apiary sites. To detect V. velutina, an improved convolutional neural network YOLOv5s was trained on 1960 high-resolution (3840×2160) image data. At the confidence threshold of ≥0.600 and intersection over the union of ≥0.500, the performance of the system in terms of detection accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and mean average precision was high. A distance-based performance comparison showed that the system was able to detect V. velutina individuals while monitoring three beehives. During a field test of monitoring three beehives, the system could detect 83.3% of V. velutina during their hunting activities and send alarms to registered mobile application users.

Apis-Prime: A deep learning model to optimize beehive monitoring system for the task of daily weight estimation

This work presents Apis-Prime,22This study extends the work in Anwar et al. (2022).a hybrid deep learning model for soft sensing and time series forecasting, to estimate the daily weight variations of honeybee hives. Apis-Prime improves the state-of-the-art of earlier proposed WE-Bee (Anwar et al., 2022), and also helps optimize the beehive monitoring systems for the task of daily weight variation estimation. Weight variations of a honeybee hive are the most important indicator of hive productivity, and the health and strength of a bee colony. Currently, precise measurement of the weight of a hive requires an expensive weighing scale under each hive. On the other hand, sensors deployed inside the hive are cheaper than a weighing scale, and are shielded from the extreme weather variations outside the hive. In this work, honeybee activity is monitored using data from sensors inside the hive, along with monitoring the information related to the seasons, time of the day, weather, and the size of the hive. Apis-Prime’s deep learning algorithm is based on two self-attention encoders, which collectively transform the sensor data into daily weight variations of the hive. Two parallel encoders simultaneously pay attention to time-based relationships and feature-based relationships within the daily sensor data and generate daily hive weight estimates with better accuracy. The comparison shows an average error of 19.7 grams/frame for Apis-Prime, compared to 21.05 grams/frame for the earlier proposed model WE-Bee. For system optimization, this work uses the attention weights of trained encoders of Apis-Prime to evaluate the sensor features collected by the monitoring system. This evaluation is used to identify and remove the unnecessary sensors/features from the dataset, reducing the number of features from 36 to 23, hence providing a significant optimization of cost, power, and data bandwidth. We provide a performance analysis of beehive weight estimations by Apis-Prime using the complete, as well as the optimized dataset on 2,170 days of beehive sensor recordings. Equally good results of daily weight estimations using the optimized feature set demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed model for the optimization of the beehive monitoring system for the task of hive weight estimation.

Status of Migratory Beekeeping With <i>Apis Mellifera</i> L In the Gangetic Plain of West Bengal

Honey bees are humanity’s unique gift. In addition to various hive products, human are benefited with the most valuable ecosystem service, i.e. pollination by honey bees. The study has been attempted to explore the overview of migratory beekeeping with Apis mellifera L. in the potential Gangetic delta of West Bengal, India through questionnaire survey. Honey flow season lasts from mid/ end of October to mid/end of May, whereas June, July, August and September are beekeeping dearth in this region. Beekeepers used to move their colonies successively between intra- and inter-district locations to harvest honey from trees like eucalyptus, mustard, coriander, black cumin, litchi, sesame, and/or mangroves. Marketing of honey and middleman issue are the major limitations identified. This study presents an illustrative overview of beekeeping status in this area, its potential as well as limitations, and proper initiative to proliferate the enterprise at its outmost.

Low Levels of Hive Stress Are Associated with Decreased Honey Activity and Changes to the Gut Microbiome of Resident Honey Bees.

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) face increasing threats to their health, particularly from the degradation of floral resources and chronic pesticide exposure. The properties of honey and the bee gut microbiome are known to both affect and be affected by bee health. Using samples from healthy hives and hives showing signs of stress from a single apiary with access to the same floral resources, we profiled the antimicrobial activity and chemical properties of honey and determined the bacterial and fungal microbiome of the bee gut and the hive environment. We found honey from healthy hives was significantly more active than honey from stressed hives, with increased phenolics and antioxidant content linked to higher antimicrobial activity. The bacterial microbiome was more diverse in stressed hives, suggesting they may have less capacity to exclude potential pathogens. Finally, bees from healthy and stressed hives had significant differences in core and opportunistically pathogenic taxa in gut samples. Our results emphasize the need for understanding and proactively managing bee health. IMPORTANCE Honey bees serve as pollinators for many plants and crops worldwide and produce valuable hive products such as honey and wax. Various sources of stress can disrupt honey bee colonies, affecting their health and productivity. Growing evidence suggests that honey is vitally important to hive functioning and overall health. In this study, we determined the antimicrobial activity and chemical properties of honey from healthy hives and hives showing signs of stress, finding that honey from healthy hives was significantly more antimicrobial, with increased phenolics and antioxidant content. We next profiled the bacterial and fungal microbiome of the bee gut and the hive environment, finding significant differences between healthy and stressed hives. Our results underscore the need for greater understanding in this area, as we found even apparently minor stress can have implications for overall hive fitness as well as the economic potential of hive products.

Pesticide residues in bee bread, propolis, beeswax and royal jelly - A review of the literature and dietary risk assessment.

Due to pollinator decline observed worldwide, many studies have been conducted on the pesticide residue content of apicultural products including bee bread, propolis, beeswax and royal jelly. These products are consumed for their nutraceutical properties, although, little information is available on the human health risk posed by pesticides present in them. In our research, studies dealing with the pesticide contamination of the above-mentioned hive products are reviewed. Dietary exposures were calculated based on the recommended daily intake values and concentration data reported by scientific studies. Potential acute and chronic health risk of consumers were evaluated by comparing the exposure values with health-based guidance values. Available data indicate that a wide range of pesticide residues, especially acaricides may accumulate in bee bread, propolis and beeswax, up to concentration levels of more thousand μg/kg. Based on our observations, tau-fluvalinate, coumaphos, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyrifos and amitraz are commonly detected pesticide active substances in beehive products. Our estimates suggest that coumaphos and chlorfenvinphos can accumulate in beeswax to an extent that pose a potential health risk to the consumers of comb honey. However, it appears that pesticide residues do not transfer to royal jelly, presumably due to the filtering activity of nurse bees during secretion.

INVESTIGATION OF CHEMICAL CONTENT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF DIFFERENT PLANT SOURCES OF ANATOLIAN PROPOLIS SAMPLES

The ethnopharmacological approach combined with chemical and biological methods can be a useful model in the field of pharmacology. One of these approaches, apitherapy, is the use of bee and hive products for therapeutic purposes. Propolis is among the best known of these bee products. The chemical composition of propolis varies according to the local or endemic flora, bee species, geographical origin and season. This study is to determine the antimicrobial activity differences between chestnut and polyfloral origin propolis against various pathogenic bacterial species. First of all, the Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was used for the determination of bioactive components known to be responsible for antimicrobial activity. Folin-Ciocalteu method and colorimetric aluminum chloride assay were used to determine the total phenolic (TP) and flavonoid (TF) amounts. 19 different pathogenic microorganisms were selected to test the antimicrobial activity levels of propolis samples with agar well diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods. TP and TF values of chestnut propolis (71.06 mg GAE/mL-11.75 mg QE/mL) were significantly higher than polyfloral sample (36.84 mg GAE/mL-7.04 mg QE/mL). Chrysin, a flavone derivative, was the most abundant compound in both samples. The MIC values of chestnut propolis ranged from 19.5 to 2500 µg/mL, while the MIC value of polyfloral origin propolis was between 39.06 and 5000 µg/mL. The most susceptible strain was Mycobacterium smegmatis for both samples with different concentration. Notably, it was observed that the botanical origins affect the chemical composition of propolis, and this situation can also be effect antibacterial and antifungal activity in respective propolis because of the different amount and diversity of bioactive compounds. Consequently, chestnut propolis is a promising candidate for drug discovery that can be used to treat some infectious diseases, including diseases related with resistant bacteria.

Industrial forestry negatively affects small-farms honey production in south-central Chile: evidence from a landscape scale

Land use and cover change have a high influence on bee species, where honey bees (Apis mellifera) could be affected in terms of resources, dispersal, and habitat. However, the influence of landscape context on honey productivity has been scarcely explored in comparison with population parameters, which is an essential topic for the economic development of rural communities based on apiculture. Here, we tested the hypothesis if honey production decreases with the increase of exotic forest plantations in the landscape as the cover of native forest decreases, vegetation and soils become increasingly degraded. We compiled data on honey productivity for two years (2018 and 2019) of small-scale honey production in 17 landscapes of 1 km radii (Curanilahue state in south-central Chile). Then, the landscapes were characterized by using remote sensing techniques, including biophysical and compositional landscape variables. Finally, Generalized Linear Mixed Models were implemented to explore the relationship between landscape variables and honey productivity. We identified a positive relationship between honey productivity with built cover and grassland cover. On the other hand, a negative relationship was found between honey production and net primary production, exotic forest plantations, and tree senescence index. Our results provide new insights into the landscape-scale drivers of hive productivity in rural landscapes of south-central Chile.

Review on Propolis Applications in Food Preservation and Active Packaging.

Propolis is a natural hive product collected by honeybees from different plants and trees. The collected resins are then mixed with bee wax and secretions. Propolis has a long history of use in traditional and alternative medicine. Propolis possesses recognized antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Both properties are characteristics of food preservatives. Moreover, most propolis components, in particular flavonoids and phenolic acids, are natural constituents of food. Several studies suggest that propolis could find use as a natural food preservative. This review is focused on the potential application of propolis in the antimicrobial and antioxidant preservation of food and its possible application as new, safe, natural, and multifunctional material in food packaging. In addition, the possible influence of propolis and its used extracts on the sensory properties of food is also discussed.

Impact of Seed Treatment with Imidacloprid, Clothianidin and Thiamethoxam on Soil, Plants, Bees and Hive Products

This paper presents studies performed for the monitoring of imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam residues applied as seed treatment in rapeseed (Brassica napus ssp. oleifera), maize (Zea mays) and sunflower crops (Helianthus annuus). The experiments were located in representative areas of the mentioned crops. Residue levels were determined in plant samples at different phenological development stages, including flowers, as well as in bees and hive products (pollen, honeycomb, honey) by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS). The analyses were performed in ISO 17025-accredited laboratories, referring to the limit of quantification (LOQ), characteristic of the method used to determine the residues. In 2019, the percentage of samples that contained residues of the three substances, applied to the seed, was 16.39%, representing 20 samples out of the total of 122 analyzed samples. In 2020, 10 samples contained neonicotinoid residues above the LOQ, including 5 soil samples and 5 plant samples, representing 6.17% of the total samples. In 2021, from 149 samples with neonicotinoid applied as seed treatment, residues were identified in 12 soil samples and 11 plant samples, representing 15.43% of the total number of samples. In 2022, only 12 soil samples and 1 pasture sample contained residues above the LOQ. The results show that the highest percentage of samples with residues above the LOQ was recorded by the soil samples, while the flower and bee samples had the lowest percentages of samples with residues above the LOQ; no residues of the three neonicotinoid substances were identified in the honey samples.

Potential Anti-inflammatory Activity of Brown Propolis Against Brain Ischemia Damage in Mice

Background: Inflammation plays a major part in brain ischemia. Propolis is a polyphenol-rich hive product with a set of pharmaceutical properties. Objectives: This research aims to investigate the impact of water extracts of brown propolis (WEPs) on stroke outcomes and inflammatory responses in a rat model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Materials & Methods: This experimental study was conducted in Rafsanjan, Iran, in 2017. WEPs were experimentally prepared from two regions in Iran. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and Folin–Ciocalteu assays were used to determine chemical portrayal and the total polyphenol content, respectively. A total of 66 male adult mice were divided randomly into the surgical sham, control (vehicle-treated), and four WEPs-treated animal groups. WEPs-treated groups received doses of 100 and 200 (mg/kg, IP) four times, and their behavioral tests, brain edema, infarct volume, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) level were evaluated. Results: The samples were not significantly different in terms of the concentration of the total polyphenol content. Compared to the control, WEPs led to a substantial decrease in the TNF-α level (P<0.05) as well as a subsequent reduction in the brain edema and infarct volume (P<0.001) in all treatment groups. Furthermore, there was a significant improvement in neurological deficits and sensory-motor impairments level (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the study findings, WEPs reduce brain ischemia damage, perhaps by exerting a neuroprotective effect on stroke-induced neuroinflammatory responses

Attitudes, perceptions, and trends of honey consumption in Portugal

AbstractThe research aim was to evaluate the Portuguese honey consumers’ profile, their attitudes, perceptions, and trends towards the product, production, and consumption, to allow the development of marketing strategies. With this purpose, a questionnaire was developed in accordance with the Ajzen's Planned Behaviour Theory and was then completed by 784 interviewees to retrieve quantitative and qualitative data. These included demographic, consumption pattern, and behavioural pattern variables collected in a Likert scale. Spearman correlations were performed between ordinal and continuous variables, and chi-squared tests of independency applied to contingency tables between nominal variables. A positive correlation was found between age and frequency of purchasing. Men consume honey more frequently than women. Portuguese honey has a good reputation, and it is preferred in relation to imported honey. The Portuguese consumer is not completely aware of the different floral characteristics of honey, other hive products, and positive externalities associated with beekeeping. By filling the marketing gap identified, production and consumption of honey could be increased in Portugal. Marketing campaigns promoting the health benefits of honey and other hive products, as well as the externalities of beekeeping may be advantageous.

Status and Trends of Production and Exports of Hive Products from India

Bees have enhanced rural incomes and supported ecological and economic sustainability. This paper investigated the current status and trends concerning the production and exports of hive products in the Indian context. The trends for hive products using secondary data-based Log Linear growth models were examined. The findings of the study indicated rapid growth in the export of honey compared to the production side. Beeswax has come up as a rapidly growing export option besides honey. These products recorded significant positive growth trends. For better price realization, there is a need to enhance local consumption of honey and diversify the export destination portfolio. Consolidation on the production and marketing front, through the creation of Farmer Producer Organizations, will pave the way for effective consumer market linkages.

Effect of propolis on mood, quality of life, and metabolic profiles in subjects with metabolic syndrome: a randomized clinical trial

Metabolic syndrome (MeS) is a common multifaceted disorder. Plants contain antioxidant bioactive compounds, which are beneficial to improve the health condition of patients with MeS. Propolis is a hive natural product that is composed of various constituent. We aimed to assess the effects of Iranian propolis as a natural and safe agent on indicators of MeS, quality of life and mood status in individuals with MeS. In total, 66 interested eligible patients recruited to the present study. Participants were randomly assigned to consume a tablet at dose of 250 mg of propolis extract, twice daily for 12 weeks or placebo. Propolis supplementation could lead to a significant reduction in waist circumference (WC), increase in physical functioning, general health and the overall score of SF-36 compared with placebo group (P-value < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed regarding other anthropometric indices and biochemical parameters between two groups (P-value > 0.05). The current study indicated that propolis can be effective in decreasing WC and improving physical health and quality of life, while had no significant effects on other components of MeS among subjects with this syndrome. Clinical trials registration Iran Registry of Clinical Trials.ir IRCT20121216011763N49, registration date 23/12/2020.

Glyphosate and Glufosinate Residues in Honey and Other Hive Products

Hive products have numerous beneficial properties; however, the hive's health is affected by the surrounding environment. The widespread use of herbicides in agriculture, such as glyphosate and glufosinate, has raised alarm among consumers, beekeepers, and environmentalists due to their potential to harm bees and humans through the consumption of bee products. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the presence of glyphosate, glufosinate, and their metabolites in hive products, collecting and comparing available data from peer-reviewed research and surveys conducted across several countries. Moreover, it analyzes and discusses the potential impacts of these substances on human and bee health, analytical aspects, and recent regulatory developments. The data has revealed that these substances can be present in the different matrices tested, but the concentrations found are usually lower than the maximum residue limits set. However, the use of different methodologies with non-uniform analytical performances, together with an incomplete search for regulated analytes, leads to heterogeneity and makes comparisons challenging. In addition to the completion of studies on the toxicology of herbicide active ingredients, further monitoring actions are necessary, harmonizing analytical methodologies and data management procedures.

Bee Pollen as Functional Food: Insights into Its Composition and Therapeutic Properties

Bee pollen is a hive product made up of flower pollen grains, nectar, and bee salivary secretions that beekeepers can collect without damaging the hive. Bee pollen, also called bee-collected pollen, contains a wide range of nutritious elements, including proteins, carbs, lipids, and dietary fibers, as well as bioactive micronutrients including vitamins, minerals, phenolic, and volatile compounds. Because of this composition of high quality, this product has been gaining prominence as a functional food, and studies have been conducted to show and establish its therapeutic potential for medical and food applications. In this context, this work aimed to provide a meticulous summary of the most relevant data about bee pollen, its composition-especially the phenolic compounds-and its biological and/or therapeutic properties as well as the involved molecular pathways.

Assessment of Two Plant-Based Materials as Alternative Attractant of Honeybees (Apis Mellifera adansonii) for Production of Honey and Other Hive Products in Awka, Nigeria

Aim: Honey is the earliest sweetener human beings have found. The values of honey are too numerous, such as food source, raw material for industries and as symbol employed in therapeutic ceremonies, but it’s availability and supply through traditional honey hunting remain a major constraint to its production and supply. This Field trials assessed the efficacy of Aidan fruit (Tetrapleura tetraptera) extract and Pineapple juice as alternative baits of honeybees (Apis mellifera adansonii) for the production of honey and other hive products.&#x0D; Study Design: Completely Randomized Design.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Honeybee Research Centre of the Department of Zoology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P.M.B.5025, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria, between July 2020 and February, 2022.&#x0D; Methodology: Phytochemical analyses of the two plant-based materials were conducted in the laboratory using standard scientific methods. A total of 9 hives divided into 3 treatment groups: A1-3; P1-3 and H1-3 were used for the study. All the experimental hives were installed at the apiary unit of the HRC and monitored daily until colonization occurred.&#x0D; Data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) while sample means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at 5% significant level (P = 0.05).&#x0D; Results: The results revealed that the trial baits contained moderate (++) presence of terpenoids as phytochemical component responsible for attracting bees. The results revealed also that the hives treated with the trial baits recorded equal rates of colonization of 66.67% as against the control which recorded 100% respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion: The results suggest that these two plant-based materials can serve as alternative attractants of honeybees in beekeeping for the production of honey and other hive products.